Categories
Africa

Sustainable Bricks Build Opportunities For Young People

Uganda has one of the fastest growing populations on earth. Roughly 80% of the population is younger than 30; many of these young people lack employable skills and youth unemployment is a growing problem. Meanwhile, there is high demand for new housing, schools and other infrastructure. Haileybury Youth Trusts answers both challenges by training young people in sustainable construction techniques, providing skills and promoting greener building.

Sustainable Bricks Build Opportunities For Young People in Uganda

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Youth, Public Service Delivery, Resilience, WASH

ORGANISATION(S)

Haileybury Youth Trust

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

Uganda has one of the fastest growing populations on earth. Roughly 80% of the population is younger than 30; many of these young people lack employable skills and youth unemployment is a growing problem. Meanwhile, there is high demand for new housing, schools and other infrastructure. Haileybury Youth Trusts answers both challenges by training young people in sustainable construction techniques, providing skills and promoting greener building.

The traditional hand-moulded fired brick, commonly used in Uganda, creates demand for local trees to fuel the brick-making kilns – one of the biggest contributors to the destruction of the country’s forests. Requiring no firewood and less cement, Interlocking Stabilised Soil Blocks (ISSBs), a compressed earth brick, are an economic and low carbon alternative.

Training young people in building with ISSBs provides them with masonry skills and the ability to find employment. Haileybury Youth Trust’s projects include affordable housing, latrines, washrooms, kitchens, school dormitories and classrooms, and rainwater harvesting tanks.

Click here to find out more.

RELEVANCE TO THE CALL TO ACTION ON SUSTAINABLE URBANISATION ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH

These examples have been chosen because of their relevance to the Call to Action, as shown by the direct quotes provided below. To view the Call to Action click here.

  • “Well managed cities and human settlements are drivers of economic development, centres of innovation and entrepreneurship, and sources of trade and employment that are vital for the livelihoods of their citizens, 60% of whom are under 30.”
  • “There is already a substantial deficit in investment in essential urban infrastructure.”
  • “Sustainable urbanisation requires a commitment to good governance, integrated planning, effective service delivery together with fiscal and political empowerment.”

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

Haileybury Youth Trust: https://www.haileybury.com/about-haileybury/haileybury-community/haileybury-youth-trust/